Challenge 1
by Mishiko Shinsei
Summary: For Dragon’s Kokoro no Yami ‘Theme’ challenge. Titles of each piece reflect theme number on challenge list. Multiple parings. AU. This is the first six of 25 total. Disclaimer: Just own the words, not the folks.


Disclaimer: Just own the words, not the folks.

_For Dragon's Kokoro no Yami 'Theme' challenge. The titles of each piece reflect the theme number on the challenge list. Multiple parings this time around. All AU. This is the first six of 25 total._

**Three **

"I'm gonna go for it, Honda. I'm gonna go over there and ask her."

"Who?"

"That blonde in the corner."

"Her? Jou, look at her! She's way too hot for you."

"I'm goin' for it, man."

"What the hell would you want with that maneater?" Anzu scoffs, angrily folding her arms across her chest. She heard the last of the conversation as she walked up behind them.

"Don't be like that, baby," Anzu's boyfriend Yugi pipes up, sliding his arms around her waist. "Besides, how can you hate someone you've never met?"

"I just don't want Jou hurt," she sighs, leaning back into Yugi's embrace.

"Don' worry about me, Anz," Jou grins. "Heck, maybe she'll even say 'yes'!"

He strides away with a confident smile on his face.

"Snowball's chance in hell?" Honda inquires.

"Not a one," Anzu and Yugi reply.

All three are shocked when the blonde smiles brightly at Jou and he motions them over.

"Guys, I'd like you to meet Mai Valentine, my date for the senior prom."

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**Five**

It was such a clichéd name for a clothing store, 'Leather & Lace'. She could have come up with something better as a cover. And why the hell would Mai want him to meet the new agent here in the first place?

"Can I help you sir?" a strong baritone inquires behind him.

"No, thank you," he replies over his shoulder while still looking around for Mai.

Suddenly, the unmistakable feel of a gun presses into his lower back.

This has a hair-trigger, Mr. Kaiba, so I suggest you not try anything," the baritone warns. "Now just walk slowly forward and…"

A shot rings out and Seto hears a body and gun drop behind him.

"Sorry about that," a tri-colored mop grins in front of him, "but we needed Marik to come out of hiding. You were the perfect bait."

"Who the hell are you?" the angry CEO bellows.

"Oh, sorry." He extends his hand. "I'm Yami Mutou, your new bodyguard."

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**Fourteen **

It was those damn purple eyes.

I could never say 'no' to those damn purple eyes.

"Please, Seto," he'd whine and I'd do anything he asked.

Those eyes made me paint the mansion cerulean blue.

"It'll match your eyes," he'd emphasized.

Those eyes made me quit my job and start my own gaming company.

"You're much too brilliant to be working for that tyrant Gozaboro," he'd argued.

Those eyes made me buy these damn leather pants.

"They'd look so hot on you, baby," he'd purred.

Those eyes made me buy that stupid car.

"It'd be so cool to ride in, Seto," he'd gushed.

Those damn purple eyes.

"I'm so sorry, baby," I whisper, kneeling on the cold ground and leaning my head against his tombstone.

I hear footsteps behind me, disturbing my commune with my lost love.

"Go away," I grumble, figuring it to be another of my father's cronies trying to get me back at Kaiba Corp.

"I see you here a lot," a quiet male voice begins. "That person must have been very important to you."

"He was my koi. I killed him."

"You really believe you killed him?"

"I was driving."

"What about the crazy drunk in the Volkswagon?"

"It doesn't matter! I should have…"

I stop myself, suddenly realizing that a stranger couldn't possibly have such knowledge. Standing slowly, I turn to see a slim blonde staring at the ground, hands clasped in front of him.

"Who are you and what do you want?" I snarl.

"I'm the brother of the man driving the Volkswagon and I've come to ask your forgiveness. You see you're not the only one with a band of guilt wrapped around your finger instead of the promised band of gold."

"What are you talking about?"

"I knew deep down that Marik was too drunk to drive, but I was having such a great time at my sister's birthday party, so when he offered to drive Yami home…

"I'd already bought the rings," he concludes.

"Your lover was the other man in the car," I surmise quietly.

"Yes. So that's why I ask your forgiveness for taking your koi away."

"It wasn't your fault, but I appreciate the gesture."

He looks up then and I can barely breathe.

"I'm Malik," he smiles politely, staring at me with those damn purple eyes.

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**Sixteen **

"Why am I here again?" he growls to his stepfather.

"To have fun, boy!"

"Here? What could possibly be fun here?"

Grabbing him by the scruff of his neck, Gozaboro propels his stepson inside. Frowning with anger and resentment, Seto peers at his shady surroundings. A strip club. Why in the gods' names his stepfather thought he'd have fun here is beyond him.

"You're a man now, Seto," Gozoboro bellows, slapping him on the back. "It's time you enjoyed yourself like one!"

Seto frowns deeper, following angrily behind him. Turning 18 certainly wasn't living up to hype if this is what it meant to "be a man". Begrudgingly, he follows his stepfather into a small room. As the door is closed behind him, he takes in his new surroundings. There is a small stage with a pole in its center and four chairs. He nearly falls over when Gozaboro slaps him in the back again.

"Get ready, boy," he commands, urging him into the seat closest to the stage. "Our own little private dancer will be out in a minute."

With a resigned sigh, he seats himself and waits for the event to begin. It's bad enough being forced into a place like this, but to have his stepfather looking over his shoulder is simply unbearable.

After about two minutes, the lights dim and seductive dance music fills the small area. A few moments later, a slim figure clad in a long, black, hooded robe steps onto the stage from a hidden door.

The figure begins 'working' the pole, rubbing their torso against it, sliding a perfectly toned leg slowly through a slit in the robe up and down it, caressing it with manicured fingers and slim arms, all the while keeping the hood on and the robe draped around their body. Despite himself, Seto can feel the arousal growing in his pants.

The figure turns their back to the small audience and flops the hood off of their head. Long, tri-colored locks adorn the petit head. Slowly the robe slides down revealing the slightly curled edge of those luscious locks sliding against a bronzed back, the color oddly exotic against the hair. In one move, the robe hits the floor, perfectly timed with the end of the song.

As a new song starts, the figure begins 'working' the pole again without turning around. Breathing becoming erratic, Seto takes in the slim waste and taught thighs beneath the very short schoolgirl skirt. As he watches the seductive moves and gyrations of the hips nearly right in his face, he shifts uncomfortably in his seat, his pants becoming unbearably tight.

'She's good,' he thinks to himself as he catches a glimpse of the black thong and bare butt cheeks briefly revealed in an enticing flash.

The long hair snaps back as the figure bends back, both hands on the pole, leaning far enough for Seto to peer into bright crimson eyes and to also realize his mistake. 'She' is a 'he'.

Which only arouses Seto more.

Had Gozaboro finally figured out his preference and done this for his birthday? Maybe he'd misjudged the man.

'Or not', he frowns as his stepfather stands, obviously livid.

"What the hell is this?" he bellows at the young man on stage, causing him to lose his balance and fall right into Seto's lap.

"Get off of him!" his stepfather rages, snatching the man up by his arm and tossing him back onto the stage, unconcerned when the slim form slams painfully into the pole.

Seto jumps up in his defense.

"What the hell are you doing? You can't just assault him!"

"He tricked us and he should pay!" his stepfather bellows even louder.

"Don't be ridiculous! He's just doing his job! Why don't you go beat up the person who set this up?"

"For once, you're making sense, boy." He grins evilly. "Get the car to take you home. I'll handle this."

He slams open the door and storms out. Seto turns to the quivering form. Climbing up on the stage, he carefully picks up the discarded robe.

"Are you alright?" he inquires, draping the robe about the smaller man's shoulders.

"M-My back hurts," he stutters.

"I'm sorry. My father shouldn't have done that."

"It's okay. I'll live."

"Are you sure you're all right?"

"Yes."

"Then I guess I should go."

Hopping from stage, he turns back to the young man standing up painfully.

"What's your name," Seto inquires.

The other eyes him suspiciously.

"Why?"

Seto grins, allowing the lust to show in his eyes and face.

"So I know who to ask for when I come back."

"Yami," he smiles lightly. "Yami Atemu."

"Seto Kaiba. I'll see you tomorrow, Yami Atemu."

"And I'll see you tomorrow, Seto Kaiba."

A wicked grin crosses both their faces before they exit the small room.

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**Twenty **

Today is the day.

I, Anzu Mazaki, will ask out the most popular boy in school, Seto Kaiba.

I can do this!

I check my make-up; perfect.

I check my hair; fabulous.

I check my outfit; tastefully trashy with my 'Handle with care' t-shirt and short, black skirt and medium, black heels.

I check my smile; blindingly white and perfectly straight.

Okay, I'm ready.

I step from the girls' bathroom and spot my quarry near the vending machines. Confidently, I stride his way. I'm almost there when a blur of motion crashes into me.

"Fuck!" I yell before I think, as my ass hits the hard floor.

I hear several snickers behind me and know that I've blown my chance. Kaiba hates vulgarities from a girl. (Hey, I studied my prize, all right?)

"Umm, sorry about that," a medium tenor intones above me as a hand moves into my line of sight. I look up to bitch at whomever only to be caught by large, emerald green eyes, long, black hair draped over broad shoulders and a warm smile.

Wow! Who the hell is this guy?

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**Twenty-four**

This was the road she'd chosen.

Marriage. A house. A husband with lots of money so she didn't have to work. Servants at her beck and call. Credit cards with limits she could never hope to max out. Nannies around the clock. Perpetually 'barefoot and pregnant' like her man wanted.

After 5 children under the age of 10, Anzu Mazaki Motou decides she's had enough of being married to 'Yami, the Game King'.

One night, while her husband is away at yet another gaming tournament, she slips out the front door, carrying only a few clothes and all the cash she could advance from her cards in the backpack flung over her shoulder. She hops on Yami's prized motorcycle and heads out of town.

Days later, in the middle of nowhere, she runs out of gas. Standing by the side if the road as the sun begins to set, she curses at herself for passing that last gas station. A roar of upcoming motorcycles startles her and she starts looking for a place to hide. Too late she realizes that there's nowhere to hide here on this open expanse. Prepared for whatever fate awaits her, she stands proudly next to Yami's motorcycle.

The group of five bikers pulls over beside her.

"Nice wheels," a young female voice compliments.

"Th-thank you," she stutters, openly staring at the redheaded beauty before her.

All at once, desires she'd buried in high school come screaming to the surface. At first, she begins to suppress them, until she remembers that denying her true self is what got her turned into 'Yami's baby-making machine' in the first place. Instead, she smiles suggestively at the young woman.

"I'd let you test it out, but I'm out of gas."

"Oh, we can take care of that," a woman with long, black hair pipes up.

"Serenity," the redhead ventures extending her hand.

"Anzu," she replies, grasping it firmly.

Both women are aware of the instant electric surge between them.

"Damn, Mai, we'd better get them back to the house before they start shagging right here on the ground," the same woman interjects.

"Hush, Vivian," the tall blonde admonishes.

"Yeah, Viv," a short blonde with glasses adds. "Just 'cause your man isn't putting out this week, don't take it out on Ren."

"Shut UP, Rebecca!"

"Whatever, Viv. That's what you get for dating a shrimp like Haga."

"That's enough, ladies," a regal voice calls.

Anzu is blown away by the beauty of the tall, black-haired woman before her.

"I'm Ishizu," she announces. "And these are my girls."

"Mai," the tall blonde waves.

"Rebecca," the short blonde waves.

"Vivian," the black-haired girl waves.

"And Serenity."

It's then that Anzu realizes they never let go of each other's hand. Dropping Serenity's hand nervously, she turns back to Ishizu.

"Your girls?"

"Yes. They are all…'strays' that I…'adopted'. For various reasons, they all found themselves out in the world alone and I took them in. You are welcome to join us if you'd like, Anzu."

"Yes, please. Thank you," she replies quickly.


End file.
